As the carriage rolled towards Mage Academy, Wolf drank his second cup of wine, thinking how great last night was. He enjoyed dancing at Matilda’s party. He greatly enjoyed escorting Anna home in her carriage, or to be more precise in the folded space which he’d opened within the carriage.

Then, when he brought her safely home, he had enough time to hit a nearby bordello, netting himself a decent amount of Soul Force. Wolf never stopped to consider the fact that, since it was so close to Didot estate, this bordello might be a Didot family’s establishment.

Around eleven in the morning Wolf arrived at the Mage Academy. With nothing better to do, he went to the Mission Hall, even though it was Friday.

Anna’s birthday was in six weeks, which was enough time to take a real, albeit most likely crappy, mission and maybe hit a couple more houses of pleasure outside Silver City.

Given that the semester was ending, he could always attend classes, but Wolf disdained the thought. He was more proficient than his snide teachers, he already had friends with whom he could go on adventures, and he was passing the exams regularly. As far as Wolf was concerned, he was leading an exemplary student life.

And as this exemplary student moved through the Mage Academy’s grounds he noticed something odd.

Wolf's been at the Mage Academy for over two years. During this time he’d categorized students into groups, based on the way they looked at him. Now, the way those around him gazed at him changed.

The students from the slums, who used to look at him with admiration, now looked at him with concern. The merchants and wealthy commoners, who used to envy him, now walked by pretending they don’t notice him.

As for the nobles, they originally looked forward to Wolf’s downfall. The way they looked at him now didn’t change one bit. It’s just that they appeared more confident of his imminent demise.

As Wolf walked towards the Mission Hall building he tried to recall the faces of people he’d met yesterday.

They definitely weren’t as eye-catching. So, what changed? he wondered, but couldn’t think of anything specific.

When he entered the five star Mission Hall, Wolf noticed another oddity. Mandy, who usually greeted him right from the door, looked at him with undisguised worry.

She seems to know something, Wolf thought and went towards her.

“Hello Miss Mandy, do you have anything interesting for me?” Wolf asked, acting oblivious of her nervous glances and the agitated fidgeting of her hands.

“Wolf please leave. Don’t take any missions,” she subvocalized, as her eyes darted every which way.

“What are you talking about? Please give me the list,” Wolf said with unshakeable confidence and outstretched his hand, waiting for Mandy to give him the tablet.

The woman’s mouth twisted as if she wanted to cry, then she reluctantly handed over the tablet. While Wolf scrolled through the missions, Mandy squeezed her eyes shut, holding her breath.

Please don’t pick it! Please don’t pick it! she prayed.

“Oh, this looks really good! But why is this a five star mission?” As soon as Wolf exclaimed, Mandy opened her eyes. After glancing at Wolf’s tablet she paled.

He picked it!

“That’s a bounty for a Seventh Order Sword-Sage! It’s obviously a trap for you!” Mandy blurted out, then covered her mouth.

It really couldn’t be any more obvious that this was a trap. What was a high Order Sword-Sage doing a week away from Silver City? If anyone was really after him he wouldn’t just be sitting there.

Wolf looked at Mandy with confusion before smiling honestly.

“But it really pays well,” he said, grinning stupidly.

“I’ll give you the money! Please don’t go.” Mandy really couldn’t make heads or tails of this situation.

She didn’t know how this mission could possibly end up here. She didn’t know why Wolf was insane enough to take it. And she definitely didn’t know why she was so attracted to this youth nearly ten years her junior. But that smell drove her crazy.

That intoxicating aroma played tricks on her mind. She was certain Wolf was the one. He would do anything for her, as long as she surrendered everything she had and was. And she really wanted to become one with this man from the bottom of her heart.

You could call it a woman’s intuition, foresight, a soul anomaly, or an ability to judge character. Whichever it was, it made Mandy fall in love and develop an obsession over a youth nobody took seriously at the time.

Even now, she believed she was the only one aware of Wolf’s limitless potential. But, that potential was not why she wanted to give herself and submit and be one with this man. It was something much deeper and more primal inside her.

The panicked look, the shaky voice and the nonsense words stunned Wolf for a moment. Then he smiled and carefully examined Mandy’s eyes. The woman felt terrified for him. Scared she’d lose something she didn’t even have.

“Thank you. Really, thank you,” he said, patting Mandy’s trembling hand.

Wolf’s tender gesture made Mandy’s hand feel as if electrocuted and her head spun.

What’s wrong with me? she wondered for gods know which time.

“I’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry.” Wolf’s confident tone and relaxed appearance made Mandy’s worries melt away. She nodded absentmindedly.

“You have to watch out. There's a rumor going around that you’ve offended the Silverhound household last night. It’s spreading like wildfire,” Mandy subvocalized, her eyes scanning the surroundings to check whether anyone was listening.

“I heard that the rating for that mission was approved by the Headmaster’s office,” she continued.

Wolf was only mildly annoyed when he heard about the two sleazy princelings, but hearing that Headmaster was plotting against him was a shock.

Headmaster was supposedly of common birth and had no known relatives.

Why would he meddle with my life? I’m not a threat to him whatsoever, and he can’t be that idle, right? As Wolf tried to figure out whether or not Headmaster Smith was bored, the person in question cackled merrily.

“See?” he asked his secretary. “I told you he’d take it. That kid should write me a thank-you letter. Maybe send a fruit basket. I’ve thrown a lot of money into his Ring of Holding.”

“The idiocy of man never ceases to amaze me, Sir,” Richard said flatly, shaking his head. “I can’t believe they worked up the courage to push things this far. I mean, any sane person would see that there’s some kind of a problem with their approach.”

Richard understood why this was happening. He understood why they couldn’t stop. But he couldn’t understand why these imbeciles hadn’t made certain Wolf would die the first time they sent him to “certain death”.

No, that’s not true, Richard thought. Setting him up against a pair of Sixth Order Sword-Sages should’ve been certain death. Even I didn’t believe this child was a True-Namer and I’m just a third party in their conflict.

“You’re too harsh on them Dick. I’m conning them and my cons are amazing,” Lord of Steel said with a smug face.

“It’s Richard, Sir,” Richard corrected, then continued with what he had to say. “You’re not even conning them. It’s just that they are idiots who don’t see any other way out of their predicament.”

“Shut up. Anyway, I, as an unbiased observer, became aware of their problem and offered them a solution. A Ninth Order Swordsage is a person rarely seen outside Highseat. Even there, they aren’t all that common. The fact that I heard news of this young man coming here, is pure coincidence.” Headmaster Smith started righteously, but his voice quieted down under his secretary’s gaze.

“You introduced this man to them?” Richard asked with a cocked eyebrow as he looked down at his boss. He didn’t know this little detail.

“Naturally.” Smith nodded sharply. “The Duke came over to tell me a troublesome anarchist was heading towards us, and asked me if I could take care of him. Since I can’t make any moves, save against demons and Monster Beasts, I arranged for this little play.”

“Will the boy be in any danger?” Richard asked, catching his boss by surprise.

“He’s a True-Namer. What could a Sword-Sage, who’s only half a foot into the Sword-Saint realm, do to him?” Lord of Steel scoffed at Richard’s overly pedantic question.

“And if the boy doesn’t know how to use his True Name?” Richard asked the question that’s been bugging him for a while now.

“Um, well, he should be fine?” This time Lord of Steel didn’t sound as confident. “If I didn’t know a True Name I’d still be able to handle a Ninth Order Sword-Sage.”

Richard looked at his boss as if he was looking at an idiot, then continued in a cold, down to earth tone.

“You, Sir, are already a Seventh Order Sword-Sage. You have over two hundred years of combat experience and even without using any magic you should be able to kill a Sword-Saint not even half your age.”

Richard paused for a moment to let his words sink in. “However, what will happen if an inexperienced little boy, who hasn’t seen any real battles, is ambushed by a near Sword-Saint who has several decades worth of combat experience under his belt?”

Each word he said sounded like a slap to Lord of Steel and made his face twitch.

“Oh, come on,” Lord of Steel grumbled. “What are the odds?”

“They were around fifty-fifty a moment ago. But after you asked that question, it’s almost certain that the boy is dead meat. Congratulations Sir, you’ve ruined another genius. This one was the kind of genius who happens once in ten thousand years at best, so it’s your new personal record I guess.” As Richard spoke, Lord of Steel’s face grew darker and darker.

“Tail him. Make sure he survives this,” he said coldly. “Last time was a miscalculation on my part. Pressure turns coal into diamonds. That girl snapped under pressure. It was my mistake, and it’s unfortunate the whole thing played out the way it did. Still, she at least managed to become an Archmage in spite of everything and I made it up to her descendants. Didn’t I?”

“I honestly don’t know. Sir. That is a story my granduncle told me long ago,” Richard admitted with a guilty face.

He didn’t know anything about the incident, other than the fact that the Headmaster ruined a student by making some terrible mistake.

“Do you really want me to follow him?” Richard had to ask for confirmation once more.

Mage Academy wasn’t allowed to get involved with students’ missions once they started. Family guardians and such were commonplace, however for the Mage Academy itself to assign a guardian must mean that something big was happening.

“I’ll pay for your mission out of my own pocket. Richard,” Lord of Steel looked Richard square in the eye with an expression the secretary had never seen. “Make sure that child survives. It’s fine if he gets maimed. The reward is more than enough for him to regenerate from debilitating injuries. So, missing limbs aren’t important, but he must survive and he must stay sane. I’m serious. I don’t want to repeat my regrets.”

“Yes, Sir.” Richard suddenly felt his throat had gone dry and loudly gulped.

“Good.” Smith nodded slowly. “I’m counting on you. Now go and make sure the kid doesn’t notice you.”

“Yes, Sir.” Suddenly a breeze blew in the room. The window opened on its own and Lord of Wind was gone in a blur.

*Sigh*

“I really didn’t think this through. No, that’s not true. I did. And somehow I had a feeling that kid would tear that piece of shit’s grandson to shreds. Damn Richard for planting the seed of doubt in my mind. The kid will be fine and Richard is off to play the part of a stalker, not a guardian.”

Headmaster Smith opened his desk drawer and took out a fancy bottle.

*POP*

He pulled out the cork and heard the gratifying sound before pouring himself a glass of strong golden colored spirits.

“William, your damn nephew made me doubt my own judgment. I hope you’re happy in whichever hell you’re roasting,” Smith said as he stared at the drawing of a missing-tooth dwarf who was giving him a thumbs up.

***

While Headmaster Smith was making arrangements for his safety, Wolf penned down a letter for Anna. Matilda and Anna were both still at their respective homes, so he just stuffed it under their door without even bothering to knock.

It’s better that they aren’t here. Anna might go bananas if she found out what kind of a mission I took this time. Fortunately I explained everything perfectly in the letter.

Calling Wolf ’s explanation perfect was more or less like calling the Headmaster’s plan perfect.

Wolf’s explanation sounded more like an overconfident brat bragging than a rational argument. For now, that was Anna’s problem, but in the near future it would be Wolf’s.